Runaway
by MinervaDeannaBond
Summary: "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away." How can Cora refuse such a beautiful invitation to run away with Robert? Sweet Cobert fluff; rated T for safety.


I wasn't expecting to write another Cobert story so soon, but inspiration struck just last night. Many of my ideas come from songs, and this story was inspired by "Runaway," a beautiful, romantic song by the Corrs. Set during the 2012 Christmas special, it's their second night together at Duneagle and Robert has invited Cora to run away with him - for the rest of their lives.

* * *

"I feel as though I've run away with you."

"Considering that half the population of Downton ran away with us, it's not much of an escape."

"Spoilsport. If this is your idea of pillow talk…"

"Darling, we've been doing everything on these pillows but talk."

"Mama would be scandalized to hear you say such a thing."

"Scandalized, my eye. It's no news to her; otherwise Rosamund and I wouldn't be here today."

"Oh yes, she would definitely spank you."

"And for this, I thank God that Shrimpie had the foresight and the good sense to place her in the opposite wing."

Soft chuckles floated through the air as the light of a dozen candles bathed the room in a warm, evocative glow. The Earl and Countess of Grantham were snuggled beneath the sheets of their bed, wrapped in each other's arms; skin against skin, her head resting on his chest and his fingers weaving their way through her hair, soft as silk and dark as a polished onyx. It was only their second night at Duneagle, but the first time that they'd had any real time to themselves since arriving. Taxed from the journey from Yorkshire to the Scottish Highlands the day before, Robert and Cora fell asleep the instant their heads hit the pillows and spent the rest of the night in Dreamland… until the next morning, when they'd been rudely awakened by the piercing sound of bagpipes.

Tonight, however, was a different story. Unbeknownst to Cora, Robert had managed to smuggle along twelve candles, sneak upstairs to their bedroom, and arrange and light them for her arrival. Once Bates had finished helping him into his pajamas, Robert entered the bedroom to find Cora waiting for him, her white satin nightgown flowing about her body and her beautiful hair spilling about her shoulders. Love filling his heart, he'd swept her up into his arms and carried her over to their bed, where they'd spent the next hour warming each other, body and soul. Now, blue eyes were gazing tenderly into each other, sapphire into aquamarine.

"What about you? Do you ever feel like you've run away with me?" Cora asked, staring up at her husband's face.

Robert's free hand caressed Cora's shoulder. "Every time I leave my dressing room to spend the night with you, I feel like I've run away. Run away from convention, from an arcane rule, from the worry of the world. Last year when you were nearly taken from me by that horrible Spanish flu, I was terrified that I'd never get to hold you in my arms again, kiss you, run to you when I need someone to love." His hand traveled upward to cup her face, his thumb stroking first her cheekbone and then her lower lip. "Cora, there isn't a day that goes by when I don't thank the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost for you, for your love and your life." He brushed his lips against her forehead. "I can't imagine what I'd do if I couldn't run away with you."

"Robert…" Cora's voice, as gentle as a spring rain and soothing as a robin's sweet song, spoke his name in a way that never failed to capture his heart all over again. "You don't need to fear, my darling. The Lord wouldn't have given us this life if He didn't mean for us to spend it together. I'll always be with you and I'll always be yours, to love, to cherish, to run away with forever."

The smile Robert beamed upon his wife was as tender as any lover's, but his eyes were sparkling merrily. "In that case…" He shifted to fully twine his arms around Cora and meld their bodies closer together. "'Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.'"

"Oh, yes, Robert," Cora whispered as her husband's lips captured hers, sealing the invitation to run away again. "Oh, _yes._"


End file.
